


Blood on the high seas

by WonderstruckSwan



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen, Navy, hurt!Killian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-17
Updated: 2015-12-17
Packaged: 2018-05-07 06:22:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5446451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WonderstruckSwan/pseuds/WonderstruckSwan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He should have seen this coming the day Killian was commissioned, but he was too stupidly optimistic. Now his little brother, his responsibility, was lying in his arms, bleeding from his side.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blood on the high seas

Liam felt a heavy weight in his heart. He should have seen this coming the day Killian was commissioned, but he was too stupidly optimistic. Now his little brother, _his responsibility_ , was lying in his arms, bleeding from his side. He had been shot by an enemy from the other ship and Liam had caught him before he fell.

‘Come on, little brother,’ Liam said.  ‘Let’s get you someplace safe.’ Killian didn’t respond, only made a pained whimper. That was what worried him the most.  Killian didn’t even remind him that he was his _younger_ brother, not little brother.

He carried Killian below beck and laid him on his bed. He called out the door for the physician to “get his ass in here” (one of the few times Liam had actually swore) and ran back to his brother’s side.

‘Killian, stay with me.’ Liam shook his brother gently. Killian opened his eyes and looked at him. Liam gave him a reassuring smile and Killian tried to return it.

Liam ripped off a piece of his shirt and held it against Killian’s wound. He had lost a lot of blood being carried in.

‘It’s okay, Kill. You’re going to be okay.’ As if on cue, the physician ran in and Liam was shoved aside while the one with the actual medical expertise looked at Killian. Liam reached out and held his brother’s hand.

‘The bullet’s still in there. I’m going to have to get it out.’ Killian looked at Liam, fear flashing in his blue eyes. Liam squeezed his brother’s hand and nodded at him. When Killian gave a small nod back, Liam looked at the physician.

‘Do it.’

As the bullet was removed, Killian tried not to scream, but the pain was too much for the young lieutenant.  Liam never stopped holding his brother’s hand, even when Killian held it so hard that Liam had to hold in his protests. Whatever pain he was in, Killian was in much worse.

‘It’s over.’ Being reassured that he would be all right, Liam stroked Killian’s forehead and smiled.

‘See? You’re fine.’ Killian gave his brother a weak smile before settling his head against the pillow and closing his eyes.

 

Liam wouldn’t move from his brother’s side all night. Even when the other men came in to tell him how the battle played out (they had won. No casualties) or who had attacked (some pirates) or whether or not they could track them (they couldn’t). Liam was only half paying attention.

He fingered the ring around his neck as he watched over his brother. The memory of the night he got it still burned in his mind. It was the same day his father left them.

_Liam stood on the deck of their new ship, breathing in the sea air. Killian had immediately gone below to check out the bedrooms. This was what he had always wanted for his little brother. It had been a while since he had seen him smile so much. Or smiled so much himself._

_‘Beautiful, isn’t it, Liam?’ his father asked from the wheel. Liam nodded and ran to stand beside him._

_‘Where are we going?’ he asked._

_‘Haven’t worked that much out yet. But I will lad, don’t you worry.’ Brennan reached into his pocket and dug something out. ‘Here, I wanted to give you this.’ He held up a silver ring on a chain._

_‘What is it?’_

_‘It was your mother’s. After she died I started carrying it around. As a reminder of her.’ Brennan dropped the ring into Liam’s hand. ‘And now I want you to have it.’_

_Liam could still remember his mother, despite being only five after she died giving birth to Killian. He looked at the ring, silver with patterns of flowers on it._

_‘Why are you giving this to me?’ he asked._

_‘Because I want you to have a piece of her. I like to think she’s still watching over you. Both of you.’ Liam smiled and slipped the ring around his neck, under his shirt._

He wondered if his mother was watching over the two of them now.

‘Liam.’ Killian opened his eyes.

‘Hey. How are you feeling?’

‘Like I got shot in the side.’ If Killian was up for making jokes again, he was going to be fine. ‘What did I miss?’

‘Nothing much. No one else got hurt.’

‘So I’m just lucky?’ Killian moved to sit up and groaned in pain.

‘Oh no, little brother,’ Liam ordered, helping him lie back down. ‘Physician’s orders. You’re on bedrest for the next two days, at least.’ At this, Killian’s face fell and Liam had to smirk at his brother pouting.

‘Younger brother,’ Killian reminded him. ‘If I am to be confined to my bed like a child, you could at least do me that courtesy.’

‘Here.’ Liam took the ring off from around his neck. ‘I want to give you this.’

‘What is it?’ Killian asked as Liam placed the ring in the palm of his hand.

‘Father gave it to me-’

‘Then I don’t want it,’ Killian cut him off. Liam knew how much Killian despised their father, deep down, Liam shared that hatred, but the coldness of his brother’s voice never failed to scare him.

‘Killian, would you just listen to me?’ Liam pleaded. When Killian didn’t speak, he continued. ‘Father gave it to me, but it was Mother’s. He gave it to me because he thought she was watching over us. And after what happened to you….. I want you to have it.’

‘Truly?’

‘Yes. Now, I’ve got to go see to the rest of the men. Do me a favour and get some rest.’

‘For you, brother. No one else.’

Liam smiled and kissed his brother’s forehead, just like they did when they were children.

‘I’m glad you’re all right, brother.’

 


End file.
